XN000022-1991-09-15 — Page 2

SUNDAY,

SEPTEMBI..

1991

1.

ELECTIONS AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR HONG KONG: GOVERNOR

TODAY IS A VERY IMPORTANT STEP FOR HONG KONG IN THE WHOLE PROCESS OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT, HAVING OUR FIRST DIRECT ELECTIONS, THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID TODAY (SUNDAY) AFTER VISITING THE ELECTIONS PRESS CENTRE AT THE CITY HALL 45 MINUTES BEFORE POLLING CLOSED.

"I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SEEN, I STILL HOPE TO SEE, MORE PEOPLE TURNING OUT TO VOTE. IT'S BELOW THE ESTIMATE THAT WE HAVE AND IT'S BELOW THE OPINION POLLS.

"I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO SEE MORE PEOPLE GOING OUT TO VOTE, BUT DON'T LET'S RULE IT OUT SIMPLY BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T GOT TO SOME MAGIC FIGURE. IT IS STILL A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AND DEVELOPING THAT IN HONG KONG.

COMMENTING ON THE TURNOUT RATE UP TO 9.45 PM, SIR DAVID SAID IT WAS BETTER THAN THE DISTRICT BOARD AND THE MUNICIPAL COUNCILS, ADDING: "I HOPE IN THE LAST 45 MINUTES THAT THOSE WHO HAVEN'T VOTED AND ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE WILL NOW GET DOWN TO THEIR POLLING STATIONS AND VOTE.

"

THE GOVERNOR SAID WE SHOULD NOT ANALYSE THE TURNOUT FIGURES UNTIL "WE'VE ACTUALLY FINISHED THE WHOLE PROCESS OF VOTING."

"IT'S STILL A VERY IMPORTANT DAY FOR HONG KONG, THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HAD DIRECT ELECTIONS FOR THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. LET'S DO THE ANALYSING OF EXACTLY WHO TURNED OUT TO VOTE; WHY THEY TURNED TO VOTE; WHO DIDN'T; WHY THEY DIDN'T, AFTER WE'VE ACTUALLY CONE THROUGH THE PROCESS OF THE ELECTIONS," HE SAID.

WHEN ASKED WHETHER HONG KONG PEOPLE WANTED A FASTER PACE OF DEMOCRACY, SIR DAVID SAID IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY WHAT PEOPLE WANTED UNTIL THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTIONS WERE ANALYSED.

"I MEAN PEOPLE GO OUT AND VOTE FOR DIFFERENT REASONS; THEY DON'T SIMPLY VOTE BECAUSE THEY WANT MORE DEMOCRACY; THEY VOTE FOR THE PARTICULAR CANDIDATES. AND THOSE PARTICULAR CANDIDATES HAVE DIFFERENT VIEWS.

VOTE

"AFTER THIS IS ALL OVER I THINK IT WILL BE VERY USEFUL IF THE PUBLIC OPINION POLLS GO OUT AND ANALYSE THE REASONS WHY PEOPLE AND INDEED THE REASONS WHY PEOPLE DIDN'T VOTE," HE SAID.

ON THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO VOTE, DAVID SAID THERE HAD BEEN A TREMENDOUS EFFORT TO GET PEOPLE TO GO AND VOTE, NOT JUST BY THE GOVERNMENT BUT BY ALL THE CANDIDATES.

SIR

OUT

"AFTER ALL IN AN ELECTION IT IS MAINLY THE CANDIDATES WHO SAY 'GO OUT. VOTE FOR ME."

"THAT'S WHAT